The Worthy Adversary

Author: Joelle Casteix

  • Do you stand with abusers, or with victims?

    Survivors to Bishop: Stand with victims!

    Three more victims file child sex abuse and cover-up lawsuits 

    Former bishop and two known predators named

    Victims pass out postcards to neighbors, citizens

    Group urges people to “pledge to stop donating” and “talk to family about abuse”

     

    What: Holding pictures of themselves at the age they were abused, victims of child sex abuse and their supporters will:

    –Announce three new child sex abuse and cover-up lawsuits against the Diocese of Honolulu, including a new lawsuit against a former bishop.

    They will also:

    — Pass out “pledge postcards” in the neighborhood where some of the abuse occurred and outside of the Diocese headquarters.

    The postcards will ask Honolulu Bishop Clarence Silva to stand with victims and remove accused offenders from ministry. Senders can tell the bishop that they choose to stop donating; they will reach out to other victims; and/or they will turn evidence over to the law enforcement.

     

    When/Where: Wednesday, Oct 23

    10 am – In the neighborhood surrounding Damien Memorial School, 1401 Houghtailing St., Honolulu. (Please call 949-322-7434 for exact location)

    12:30 pm – in the plaza outside of the Honolulu Diocese headquarters, 1184 Bishop Street, Honolulu

    Who:

    Members of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), the nation’s largest support group for men and women who were sexually abused in religious and institutional settings, including a California woman who is the group’s volunteer Western Regional Director.

    Why:

    On Tuesday, three Hawaii men filed child sex abuse and cover-up lawsuits against the Diocese of Honolulu. Three priests, including a three-time accused former bishop, have been named as predators.

    Two of the victims were abused at Damien Memorial School in Honolulu. One of the victims charges he was abused by notorious offender Fr. Gerald Funcheon. Funcheon made headlines in March when attorneys for victims released Funcheon’s sworn video deposition, where the priest admitted to molesting children at Damien Memorial School from 1983-1985.

    Fr. Jerry Funcheon, admitted Damien child predator
    Fr. Jerry Funcheon, admitted Damien child predator

    The other victim from Damien alleges he was abused by Fr. Larry Spellen in 1976. Spellen was removed from ministry in Salt Lake CIty in 1993, when then-Salt Lake Bishop Wiegand heard about accusations against Spellen from the 1980s and believed that they had merit. Bishop Wiegand referred the case to child and protective services. Spellen died in 2003. http://www.bishop-accountability.org/news13/1993_12_18_Thompson_BishopWeigand_Lawrence_Spellen_3.htm

    Fr. Larry Spellen
    Fr. Larry Spellen

    The third victim charges that he was sexually abused by former Honolulu Bishop Joseph Ferrario while Ferrario was a priest at St. Anthony’s in Kailua. At least three victims have come forward to say that Ferrario abused them while the priest worked at St. Anthony’s or at Damien, where he was a teacher for a short time. 

    Fmr. Bishop and 3-time accused predator Joseph Ferrario
    Fmr. Bishop and 3-time accused predator Joseph Ferrario

    Members of SNAP will be passing out pledge postcards in the hopes of empowering Hawaii’s citizens to tell current Bishop Clarence Silva that they “Stand with Victims.” The group fears the Catholics and the general population may feel that they are powerless to help victims and are unable to help stop the cover-up of child sexual abuse. The card, which people can keep, pass around, or mail back to the bishop, gives people tangible options to help victims and stop the cover-up of abuse.

    SNAP also hopes that the cards will encourage people to reach out to other victims who still may be suffering in shame and silence. Many victims who were sexually abused in Hawaii only have until April 2014 to take advantage of a landmark law that allows victims to expose their predators and use the courts for justice, no matter when the abuse occurred.

    Copies of the lawsuit and the postcards will be available at the event.

  • Jay Ram accused of abuse by four more “sons”

    Four more boys accuse farmer of abuse

    Predator adopted and fostered boys in CA and HI

    Five of his “sons” now say that he molested them

    Victims beg social services, public for help and information

    Group runs ad begging “If you saw, suspected or suffered abuse, speak up”

    Jay Ram - now accused of sexual abuse by five of his adopted and foster children
    Jay Ram – now accused of sexual abuse by five of his adopted and foster children

    What:

    Holding photos of themselves at the age they were abused, victims of child sex abuse will:

    — Announce four new child sex abuse and cover up lawsuits against a former Hakalau farmer, and

    –Urge social services officials to post and distribute information about Jay Ram, urging social workers to report any information or evidence they may have.

    When:

    Tuesday, October 22 at 11 am

    Where:

    Outside of the East Hawaii (Hilo) Office of Child and Family Service, 1045A Kilauea Avenue (at Mohouli) in Hilo

    (Social workers with the Office of Child and Family Service worked with some of the boys fostered and/or adopted by Jay Ram)

    Who:

    Members of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, the nation’s largest support group for men and women who were sexually abused in religious and institutional settings, including a California woman who is the group’s volunteer Western Regional Director

    Why:

    Four more victims of a former Hakalau farmer are filing lawsuits saying that he sexually abused them after fostering and/or adopting them.

    The first victim charged Ram with abuse in March, saying that Ram used him and other boys as “forced child labor” to develop his land and kept them as virtual prisoners on his farm. 

    Ram, who is also known as Gary Winnick, is also accused of sexually abusing other boys that he fostered and adopted in California and Hawaii. He is believed to be India.

    The lawsuits say that Ram used the boys as forced physical labor and that he also sexually abused them. The victims say that Ram threatened them to keep them silent, deprived them of food and refused to let them to engage in regular social activities with their peers out of fear that the boys would report to authorities. Although Ram has been investigated by the police in the past, the victims say that they were threatened with violence and abuse to keep them quiet. The boys were abused between the ages of 8 and 17 during the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s.

    Ram was involved in agricultural research with the University of Hawaii, Hilo.

    Members of SNAP are reaching out to the social services community in Hilo hoping to finding enough evidence to help law enforcement reopen a criminal investigation against Ram. Many of the boys Ram fostered and adopted were under supervision of social workers in Hilo, who may have felt helpless at the time to do anything about allegations of abuse.

    The victims in this case was able to come forward and expose Ram in the civil courts because of a landmark new state law that allows all Hawaii victims of child sexual abuse to come forward and seek justice in the courts, no matter when the abuse occurred.

  • SB 131 is vetoed by Gov. Jerry Brown

    I am devastated.

    Read his veto statement here.

    Sorry the link was broken before. I am out of town for a wedding, and blogging via smartphone isn’t very … well, smart.

  • T-minus 2 for SB 131

    As of this writing, there is no new new news on SB 131. California Governor Jerry Brown has until Sunday to sign the bill, veto it, or do nothing. If he signs the bill or does nothing, SB 131 will become law on January 1, 2014

    Let’s keep our fingers crossed for victims—all victims. Why? Because ALL victims will benefit if SB 131 becomes law.

    According to Brown’s website, here is the status of many of the bills that have crossed his desk:

    • AB 218 by Assemblymember Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento) – Employment applications: criminal history.
    • AB 256 by Assemblymember Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) – Pupils: grounds for suspension and expulsion: bullying.
    • AB 389 by Assemblymember Das G. Williams (D-Santa Barbara) – Private schools: employees: criminal background checks.
    • AB 514 by Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Alameda) – The Safe Schools for Safe Learning Act of 2013.
    • AB 547 by Assemblymember Rudy Salas (D-Bakersfield) – 21st Century High School After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens program.
    • AB 595 by Assemblymember Jimmy Gomez (D-Northeast Los Angeles) – Community colleges: priority enrollment.
    • AB 610 by Assemblymember Katcho Achadjian (R-San Luis Obispo) – State hospitals: involuntary treatment.
    • AB 626 by Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) – School nutrition.
    • AB 635 by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) – Drug overdose treatment: liability.
    • AB 647 by Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro (D-Arcata) – The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act: beer manufacturers: containers.
    • AB 753 by Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) – Cognitively impaired adults: caregiver resource centers.
    • AB 899 by Assemblymember Shirley N. Weber (D-San Diego) – Academic content standards: English language development standards.
    • AB 955 by Assemblymember Das G. Williams (D-Santa Barbara) – Community colleges: intersession extension programs. A signing message can be found here.
    • AB 974 by Assemblymember Isadore Hall III (D-Compton) – Patient transfer: nonmedical reasons: notice to contact person or next of kin.
    • AB 1025 by Assemblymember Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) – Public postsecondary education: credit by examination.
    • AB 1068 by Assemblymember Richard H. Bloom (D-Santa Monica) – Pupil records.
    • AB 1358 by Assemblymember Paul Fong (D-Cupertino) – Student body association: student representation fees.
    • SB 168 by William W. Monning (D-Carmel) – Farm labor contractors: successors: wages and penalties.
    • SB 236 by Senator Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) – School districts: four-day school week: Moorpark Unified School District.
    • SB 368 by Senator Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) – Teachers: added authorization in special education.
    • SB 390 by Senator Roderick D. Wright (D-Los Angeles) – Employee wage withholdings: failure to remit.
    • SB 435 by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) – Compensation: meal and rest or recovery periods.
    • SB 440 by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) – Public postsecondary education: Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act.
    • SB 530 by Senator Roderick D. Wright (D-Los Angeles) – Criminal offenders: rehabilitation.
    • SB 534 by Senator Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina) – Health and care facilities.
    • SB 590 by Senator Kevin De León (D-Los Angeles) – School personnel: professional development for classified school employees.
    • SB 651 by Senator Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) – Developmental centers and state hospitals.
    • SB 669 by Senator Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar) – Emergency medical care: epinephrine auto-injectors.
    • SB 681 by Senator Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina) – Community college districts: personal property.

    Governor Brown also announced that he has vetoed the following bills.

    • AB 300 by Assemblymember Henry T. Perea (D-Fresno) – Telecommunications: prepaid mobile telephony services: state surcharge and fees: local charges collection. A veto message can be foundhere.
    • AB 375 by Assemblymember Joan Buchanan (D-Alamo) – School employees: dismissal or suspension: hearing. A veto message can be found here.
    • AB 622 by Assemblymember Nora Campos (D-San Jose) – School districts: charter school petitions: Internet posting. A veto message can be found here.
    • AB 704 by Assemblymember Robert Blumenfield (D-Woodland Hills) – Emergency medical services: military experience. A veto message can be found here.
    • AB 1287 by Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-Fullerton) – Student financial aid: Cal Grant Program eligibility. A veto message can be found here.
    • AB 1409 by Assemblymember Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) – Public utilities: voice communications: Moore Universal Telephone Service Act. A veto message can be found here.
    • SB 284 by Senator Kevin De León (D-Los Angeles) – Income taxes: credits: contributions to education funds. A veto message can be found here.
    • SB 285 by Senator Kevin De León (D-Los Angeles) – Student financial aid: Cal Grant Program. A veto message can be found here.
    • SB 398 by Senator Cathleen Galgiani (D-Stockton) – Horse racing: distribution of proceeds. A veto message can be found here.
    • SB 655 by Senator Roderick D. Wright (D-Los Angeles) – Fair Employment and Housing Act: unlawful practices. A veto message can be found here.
    • SB 723 by Senator Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana) – Veterans. A veto message can be found here.

  • Larkin’s Gift

    It’s too easy to forget that many memories are magic and that a entire lifetime of love can come from something as simple as a Santa Ana neighborhood.

    This morning, my dad and I went to the funeral of Larkin Bean. He’s the kid in the brown shirt smack in the middle of the front row of the photo below. I’m the baby. Other kids in the photo include Vicky Bruce (the mastermind behind The Worthy Adversary), Larkin’s sisters Hillary and Victoria, my sister Jennifer, the Gallivan kids, and Jim Croal.

    All of the kids at Disneyland - 1972
    All of the kids at Disneyland – 1972

    Of the kids in this photo, four of us were at the funeral today. The parents of every other child, except for two (one set of parents have already passed) were also there. I knew most of the faces in the funeral chapel and was able to hug and connect with everyone I knew. Some I had not seen in more than 20 years.

    At the reception afterward, Larkin’s mother Jeanette came up to my dad, held him tightly, and said, “John, you are my oldest and best friend.” My dad quietly smiled, because it was true. They met the first day of the second grade at St. Joseph’s School in Santa Ana almost seven decades ago. As adults, they lived just a few blocks from each other, allowing their children to share their lives. Watching my dad and Jeanette’s 75-year-old faces as they spoke to each other, I saw the 7 year olds they once were. It was magic.

    Spending time with everyone, especially Larkin’s sisters, and being surrounded by such love, history, and compassion, reminded me of something that I am too quick to forget: For all of the bad that we experience and remember, we must also remember the magic of a day at Disneyland in 1972. We must remember the magic that keeps us together before the untimely death of someone we love. I must remember how my father and Jeanette magically transformed into the second graders who became best and fast friends. I need to look at this photo and appreciate how blessed I am still in contact with most of the kids surrounding me.

    Larkin was a sap for the old stories and remembered everything that happened in the neighborhood. He reminded me of things that I had forgotten and told me stories about my mom that made me smile. He didn’t need to be reminded of the magic. He remembered the magic and relished it. And he let us share it.

    Maybe that was his gift to all of us.